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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chip — for betting
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. hand — help
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — from a university
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. hand — in cards
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com